CM opens Lakwa power project today

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, May 25: In what can be called as proof positive as a sign of revival of the power sector in the State, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is going to formally inaugurate gas engine-based 10X7-MW Lakwa Replacement Power Project (LRPP) on Saturday.

LRPP located at Lakwa in Charaideo district has been incorporated under Assam power sector investment programme (MFF-II) of Asian Development Bank (ADB) for arranging funds (term loan). The total cost of the project is Rs 262.10 crore. The project by Consortium of Wartsila India Pvt and Wartsila Finland Oy that had begun on March 9, 2916 was scheduled to be completed on March 9, 2018. APGCL sources said that the project was on schedule and generation has already been started.

The gas engine-based replacement power project has been necessitated with various units of the ageing eight-unit 142.2-MW Lakwa Thermal Power Station (LTPS) lying idle. The 15-MW unit 1 of this gas turbine power station that had been commissioned in 1983 was decommissioned in January 12, 2017. Likewise, 15-MW unit 4 of the gas turbine project that had been commissioned in 1986 was decommissioned on July 8, 2017. While units 2 and 3 with a capacity of 15-MW each that had been commissioned in 1981 have been under shutdown, 20-MW unit 5 of the power station commissioned in 1994 has been lying idle due to shortage of gas.

While units 6 and 7 (20-MW each) commissioned in 1994 and 1999 respectively of the power station are generating power, the 37.2-MW unit 8 is generating power partially – only 18 MW a day. The power station as a whole, according to APGCL officials, generates 56 MW against its capacity of 142.2 MW a day. The new replacement project is going to meet the shortage of power in the State to an extent, whatever small it might be.

The average power demand during peak hours in Assam is 1,250 MW against the availability of 750 MW.